


passing the baton

by noyabeans (snowdrops)



Series: writing with snowdrops (saso 2017) [13]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Introspection, Manga Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 12:58:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11647038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowdrops/pseuds/noyabeans
Summary: Shibayama, and what it means to be a guardian-in-training.





	passing the baton

**Author's Note:**

> fill for **saso 2017 bonus round 5: clue**.  
>  original prompt is [here](https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/24808.html?thread=15130088#cmt15130088).
> 
> clue:  
> Shibayama on the sidelines at Nationals with Yaku's number placard.

When movement on the court comes to a complete halt, a startled gasp rippling across the stands like a tsunami wave, Yuuki is sure his own heart skips a beat. Inuoka says something and Yuuki feels him move off from the bench, but all Yuuki’s vision hones in on is Yaku-san being crowded by his teammates, then Naoi-sensei and Inuoka emerging from the group, Yaku-san’s arms slung over their shoulders as he limps towards the side of the gym.

There’s a look of utter dismay and despair on Yaku-san’s face, one that Yuuki has never seen before. Before he can dwell on it, Nekomata-sensei’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts, a familiar anchor in the sudden rush of panic and worry that’s threatening to overwhelm him.

Numbly, he walks over to where Nekomata-sensei is standing, looks at the paddle lying on the bench, number 3 printed large and bold on it.

 _Bold_. Just like Yaku-san. Yaku-san’s the kind of libero who appears unassuming at first, maybe even soft and gentle, but he’s built himself a reputation ferocious enough - just one click of his tongue is enough for Lev and Kuroo-san to back off from whatever bad idea they were about to carry out, and Yamamoto-san might not listen to even Kuroo-san, but Yuuki has seen the way he withers under Yaku-san’s glare.

It’s not just within the team, either.

Every time they have a match, Yuuki marvels at how players with at least twenty centimetres on Yaku-san go out of their way to avoid spiking the ball in his direction. Even in this match, he’s seen Nohebi change course a few times just so they wouldn’t have to face Yaku-san.

Yuuki’s gut churns. Nekomata-sensei’s saying something about playing as he usually does, that’ll be good enough, but how can that be good enough to substitute Yaku-san? Yaku-san, who told him with a twinkle in his eye two practices before qualifiers started, that he had a good feeling about the matches ahead, that he was sure they would make it to nationals this year. Yaku-san, who told him over meat buns after a practice session together how Kai-san and Kuroo-san and him had fought tooth and nail to restore Nekoma’s volleyball team. Yaku-san, who would be absolutely shattered if the team doesn’t make it to nationals.

The team won’t make it to nationals if he messes up, Yuuki knows. Something cold grips at his heart at the thought.

He picks up the paddle, feeling the edges cut into his palms, but is stopped short of raising it by Nekomata-sensei. “When a libero is injured, the player substituting them doesn’t need to go by the usual team substitution procedure,” Nekomata-sensei says as he takes the paddle from Yuuki. “Don’t worry too much, Yaku’s trained you well. And don’t forget, Shibayama. You’re not the only one on that court.”

Yuuki nods, willing himself to calm down. He’s a libero. He’s not Yaku-san and he’s still far from deserving of the name of ‘Nekoma’s guardian’. But he’s not holding Yaku-san’s paddle and he’s not taking Yaku-san’s place.

He might not be Yaku-san, Yuuki knows, but he is also Nekoma’s libero, an honour that few can lay claim to - and what kind of a guardian-in-training would he be if he were to back down now?

He takes a deep breath, and steps onto the court, into the fray. He can feel eyes on him - from his teammates, from his opponents, from the stands. The numbers on his jersey feel like they’re branding himselves into his back, and he squares his shoulders, embracing the burn. He’s not Nekoma’s number 3, but he’s Nekoma’s number 12, and he’ll show them what it means to be Nekoma’s libero - what it means to be guarding Nekoma’s backs.

**Author's Note:**

> Reference for libero substitution taken from [here](http://mshsl.org/mshsl/news/liberorules.htm).
> 
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